Ramrod To Munster - Appendix D

Walrus HD933 piloted by W/O Bedford and L/A Westbrook was sent to recover a downed Mustang pilot, Steve Ananian. This aircraft succeeded in landing on the water in spite of extremely high winds and rough seas. See Addendum and log below.

DETAIL OF WORK CARRIED OUT

By "A" Flight No 278 Squadron
For the Month of October 1944

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Page No. ONE

Date	Aircraft  Type and Number	Crew	Duty	Time Up	Time Down	Details of Sortie or Flight
1st Oct						No operational flying - only ferrying trips to Bradwell Bay
2nd Oct						No operational flying - night flying by one section of  Spitfires
3rd Oct	Walrus	S/Lt. Carr - Gregg	Attempt rescue	13.00		was sent to Coltishall to re-fuel and collect an escort of Mustangs to attempt to rescue of a dinghy(s) just off TERSCHILLING (HOLLAND). This was abandoned as no escort available and dinghy(s) reported to have drifted inshore.
	Walrus  Spitfires	W/O. Bedford  F/O. Skinner  F/O. Hyde	Patrol			Aircraft carried out patrols during return of friendly bombers - nothing to report. A section of Spitfires carried out night flying practice.
4th Oct	Spitfires					No operational flying - one Air Test of Spitfire. Also section of spitfires on night flying
5th Oct	Spitfires	F/S Murland, Vickery	Search			Searched N. 4555 for reported baled out Mustang pilot - N.T.R.
	Walrus	W/O Bedford  L/A Westbrook	Search	12.15		Scrambled to pick up baled out fighter pilot at N.1560.  Found survivor clinging to dinghy but sea state too rough to effect boarding.  the walrus landed and taxied to him but they were unable to to pick him up due to severe buffeting and lack of control.  Crew retained hold of survivor until trawler lowered a boat and pick up.  On attempting to take-off after transfer - Walrus lost port float - an attempt was made to take Walrus H.D. 933 in tow, but she was sinking fast and was cast off - just another right off (sp. write off).
6th Oct	Spitfires    Spitfires	F/L McLeod  F/L Miller  F/L Pawsey  F/Sgt Vickery	Search	06:40A		1 section of Spitfires airborne at 06:40 and assisted Warwick aircraft in search - finding one dinghy with three bodies at N.7147 and later a dinghy with one man at N.7156.  They were relieved over area for orbiting watch by further 2

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